The use of plastic pipe is becoming increasing common in the construction industry because of its ease of installation, low cost and non-corrosive nature. Plastic pipe sections are commonly joined with slip-fit molded couplings which are bonded to the pipe sections with heat or plastic cement. The use of such couplings necessitates the chamfering of the ends of the pipe so that they may be easily inserted into the couplings. There are certain basic problems inherent in the chamfering tools now in use.
One problem is the inconvenience of having to carry a separate chamfering tool for each size of pipe.
Shavings created in the chamfering process pose another problem. When the pipes are used for transporting natural gas, for example, a small shaving or chip of plastic could be carried to a metering orifice, causing a blockage or reduction in the flow of the gas. As a result of this problem, it is common for pipe fitters to plug the end of the pipe during the chamfering operation. This is inconvenient and takes time.
An additional problem with contemporary chamfering tools is the lack of a limit gauge to prevent over-chamfering of the pipe end.